With the extensive GMO debate in the recent months, deciding whether or not to buy organic is becoming a concerning reality for many people, myself included. Buying organic food and products is better for our bodies, better for our communities and better for the planet. An organic lifestyle allows you to build, explore, and support healthy living on a personal level and in the community as a whole. Providing high quality food and products for you and your family is important, but the price tag associated with it may seem cumbersome at time.

So here are some tips on where to invest in terms of essential organic products for your health and well-being:

Meat: Many of the animal protein choices, beer in particular, are subjected to heavy hormone and antibiotic doses. The hormones in cattle are used to artificially increase the weight gain, growth rate, and milk production. The hormones, especially the estrogen-like agents, have been linked to a disrupted endocrine function and an increased risk of cancers. Federal regulations allow hormones to be used on growing cattle and sheep, but not on poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks) or hogs (pigs). So choosing certified organic meats allows you to avoid hormones and antibiotics.

Milk: The problem arises as the hormones rBST and rBGH, used for injection into the dairy cows for increased milk production, pass through the cows into their milk. These hormones have been banned in Europe and Canada as there is an associated risk with cancer. Look for milk that has not been treated with these hormones and is labeled rBGH-free, rBST-free, or is produced without artificial hormones. Also, explore alternatives to cow’s milk with goat’s milk, coconut milk, almond milk, rice milk, and others.

Photo Courtesy: EWG’s 2012 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™

Strawberries: There are potential health risk in choosing conventional products, such as strawberries, peaches, apples, blueberries, cherries, nectarines, grapes, and pears, because they have been detected with up to 13 pesticides on these fruits, especially concerning since these are typically eaten with skin on. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) puts this produce on a list called the “Dirty Dozen.”

Strawberries carry additional risk as conventional strawberries have a large surface area with a large number of seeds that may trap chemicals and make them difficult to wash off, which would also mean that those chemicals will be ingested.

Celery: It joins the ranks of the “Dirty Dozen” group, with sweet bell peppers, spinach, potatoes, and lettuce. Celery is very porous, which means that it retains up to 13 of the pesticide chemicals that are spray on it.

Tomato sauce: Choosing a glass jar or a box is a wiser choice as a means of storage due to the plastic-coated lining inside of cans, which may contain BPA and is used for protection against corrosion and bacteria. The acidity of the cooked tomatoes allows for leaching of the chemicals in the plastic coating, which may contain BPA.

Become educated about natural and eco-friendly essential alternatives for improved health and well-being!

Water bottles: BPA (bisphenol-A) is often discussed in terms of hard plastic bottles that are reused for water carrying, as BPA can leach into the water inside of the bottle. BPA is a known endocrine disruptor and has been linked to increased risk of cancers in women and men as well as reduced sperm count in men. Alternatives are glass, unlined stainless steel, or BPA-free plastic bottles.

Food-storage containers: Again, BPA is the culprit, as many of the containers are made from hard, clear plastic, which may contain BPA, which can leach into the food inside of the containers. The leaching can occur in very cold and hot foods, which happens during freezing and heating of the plastic. The safest alternatives are glass containers with BPA-free plastic lids.

Cookware: It is important to consider what you are cooking your food in, as non-stick pots and pans start degrading and excreting toxic fumes when overheated. The fluorochemical, PTFE, becomes unstable within 2 to 5 minutes of heating and is released out of cookware, whose fumes can cause allergy-like symptoms in the airway of lungs. Choose a safe alternative with ceramic, stainless steel, or cast iron cookware.

Home cleaners: Common household cleaners may contain potentially harmful chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine bleach, and phthalates, which can irritate skin, eyes, respiratory tract, and create endocrine and immune system disruption.

As an alternative, consider making homemade cleaners with baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Also looking for natural brands approved by Green Seal and EcoLogo.

Yard pesticides: These heavy-duty chemicals used in lawn care and gardening contain suspected carcinogens, which have been linked to issues in the brain and the nervous system. A serious problem comes from the fact that these chemicals can easily be carried from the outside into the house onto carpets and floors via shoes, which can significantly impact small children. There are natural and effective options available that are made from vinegar and lemon juice in brands, such as BurnOut and EcoClear. There are also local less-toxic lawn-care companies available.

It is essential to educate yourself on how to protect yourself and your family when choosing the right products, whether food or cleaning products. In addition, one of the approaches is to develop a network of small, independent, sustainable businesses in your community. So invest in yourself, your family, your local businesses, and your community by supporting small, local, independent vendors, such as local farmers markets, local lawn-care services, local cleaners, etc.

Headachesand migraines are a common complaint among individuals seeking chiropractic care. Millions of people, predominantly women, suffer needlessly. In women, many times headaches and migraines may be hormone-related, especially during the menstrual circle and menopause. Headaches and migraines may have a number of symptoms of varying intensities affecting the patient during an episode, from throbbing and pulsing head and neck pain to light and sound sensitivity, and in extreme cases, nausea and vomiting. The pain and discomfort may last from several hours to several days, which makes life less enjoyable.

Important to remember: If the symptoms persist for an extended time period and have neurological indicators, such as numbness and tingling on one side of the body, vision problems and vision loss, and severe headache ‘like you haven never experienced before’ this time, you should immediately consult your primary care physician.

In the following post, we will discuss a few things you can do to help reduce the intensity and frequency of headaches and migraines.

Two of the major food allergens, wheat and cow’s milk, have been linked to headaches, especially migraines. In addition to those two culprits, other grain cereals, cane sugar, yeast, corn, soy, citrus, eggs, beef, caffeine, and chocolate have also been identified as causative indicators in over 150 different clinical studies. People who maintained a grain-free and dairy-free diets tended to see a decrease in pain and frequency of headaches and migraines.

Besides these major food allergens mentioned above, processed foods contribute to a number of ailments and allergies, even in people who are non-chronic headache sufferers. Processed foods contain a wide variety of chemically altered additives, such as coloring, flavoring (i.e. MSG), preservatives, artificial sweeteners (i.e. aspartame), and other additives, which promote severe symptoms in people with headaches and migraines. Furthermore, food sensitivities may also occur with the following symptoms:

Bloating, gas, belching, or other digestive distress after meals

Chronic constipation or diarrhea

Low energy or drowsiness shortly after a meal

Nasal congestion and mucous discharge up to 7 days after eating an allergen food

If these are common after you eat, you may need to investigate if you have specific food sensitivities. One of the ways to help is by keeping a daily detailed food diary to determine what specific food seems to induce your headache and migraine symptoms, which in turn will help you heal your gut. The next step would be to eliminate the reactive food(s) from the diets and monitor the progress. It is also important during this time to read the food labels to ensure to avoid chemical food additives as a person can be sensitive to those, just as much as they can be sensitive to specific food items.

So, when choosing the foods TO eat to keep headaches and migraines at bay and overall health:

Avoid any irritant foods that you’ve determined during the elimination process

Avoid artificial sweeteners of any kind

When eating a diet of foods listed above, there may be very limited need for additional supplementsas these food deliver many micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. However, here are a few supplements that may be helpful in reducing headaches and migraines, as well as general health:

Ubiquinol, a reduced form of CoQ10 for improved mitochondrial function in healthy cells, tissues, and organs

Magnesium for relaxation of blood vessels in the brain and body

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B6, B12, & folic acid

Even though, this is an obvious example, exercise plays a very significant role in reducing headaches and migraines. Exercise is one of the best way of increasing oxygen and blood flow to the brain and the body, increasing energy levels, improving the mood, and ultimately reducing headaches.

Dr. Tijana in action!

With Chiropractic, keeping the nervous system at optimal function by allowing the body to communicate to the brain appropriately is a vital aspect of spinal and overall health through a natural, effective, drug-free approach to health that promotes natural healing function and potential. Chiropractic allows the body to release the accumulated physical, mental, and chemical stress and further allows the appropriate alignment and movement in the spine and its structures. Chiropractors work with people of all ages, including newborn babies, pregnant women and children. Talk to your local chiropractor today and start on the path to health to maximize your nervous and immune system function that leads to overall more energy and increased vitality!

The Environmental Working Group has published a list of the cleanest vegetables and the most pesticide-ridden ones. It is very important to make informed decisions around which foods you buy organic and which you buy conventional. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to eat all organic, so if you are looking for the best options check out this list:

A huge part of what I talk to my patients about is nutrition. And I am certain that you have heard it a countless number of times that you should eat healthy, which is a great notion.

However, what does eating healthy actually mean?!

First, let’s start by deciding what “real food” is:

whole, unprocessed, unrefined

local, seasonal, organic

grass-fed, wild-caught

Therefore, if it comes in an industrialized package, it is NOT real food!!!!

Industrially processed foods have included a number of additives that are harmful to our health, which include white flour, white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, processed soy, industrialized seed oils, toxic chemicals, and preservatives. Another current issue are the GMO-crops that are not labeled and used in much of the processed foods; that’s why buying organic is essential.

Organic produce in your region during the season for a particular crop contains more nutrients, such as polyphenols and antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E and quercetin, since the nutrients retain the majority of their value while they are exposed to light during photosynthesis. Buying locally allows for a shorter amount of time between the harvesting of the produce to the consumption by buyers, while it also supports the local economy. Organic farming practices play a large role in how the food is grown and handled without pesticides, herbicides, and other harmful chemicals, which particularly significant to those with vulnerable immune systems – children, pregnant women, and immuno-compromised adults.

Consuming pasture-raised meats and wild-caught fish is significant to maximize the nutritional benefit with a better Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acid profile, and higher levels of vitamins and micronutrients (vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin D, riboflavin, thiamin, magnesium, calcium, vitamin A, B12, and folate). Another consideration is cooking meats on a healthy traditional fat like butter or coconut oil. Pasture-raised animal (meat, fat and dairy) products are the richest known source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which may have anti-cancer properties.

The side effects of consuming non-real-food with the nutrient-stripping additives, toxic chemicals, and genetically-modified-organisms begins the cascade of an auto-immune response in the body that leads to systemic inflammation that may result in DIS-EASE.

So consider the source of your food next time you shop for yourself and your family as you want to provide the best fuel for optimum health!